Ag's office investigating police involved new year's eve shooting at pine brook motel
Yellow law enforcement tape isolating crime scene. Blurred view of city, toned in red and blue police car lights

AG’s office investigating police involved New Year’s Eve shooting at Pine Brook motel

PINE BROOK, NJ – Police officers executing a search warrant for a man wanted on an attempted murder warrant was shot and killed by police officers on New Year’s Eve.

Today the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced it is investigating the fatal police-involved shooting.

The victim’s name was not released by law enforcement officials.

“According to the preliminary information, members of the Morris County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (“SERT”) were at the motel on Route 46 in Pine Brook to assist Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office detectives with executing an arrest warrant for attempted murder, which incident occurred on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 in Elmwood Park, N.J.,” the New Jersey OAG’s Office said in a statement today. “Detectives ascertained that the suspect was inside a particular room and members of the Morris County SERT made entry at approximately 7:14 p.m., whereupon the individual exchanged gunfire with two officers.  Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the individual was pronounced deceased at approximately 7:27 p.m. Authorities recovered a firearm near the decedent. Two officers were transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.”

The OAG’s office is investigating the incident per directive 2019-14, which requires a state investigation any time a police officer is involved in a fatal shooting incident.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.